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By Jonathan M. Hicap, Reporter
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus
ordered the creation of a task force to look after the safety and
welfare of half a million teachers who will be serving as board of
election inspectors in the May election.
The task force will monitor and
respond to concerns of teachers who will be working in the field
during the elections. It will be headed by Education Undersecretary
for Regional Operations Ramon Bacani and co-chaired by
Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Franklin Sunga.
“While we look forward to that
day when teachers are taken away from the difficult task and hazards
associated with their poll duties, we also recognize our important
responsibility, as mandated by our Constitution,” Lapus said.
The Department of Education will
conduct seminar workshops on the technical and legal aspects of
teachers’ poll duties. It is also coordinating with the Commission
on Elections to ascertain the orderly management and operations of
DepEd in the different polling precincts.
DepEd will tap the Philippine
National Police to protect the teachers.
The Alliance of Concerned
Teachers (ACT) is demanding hazard pay and insurance coverage for
teachers who will be doing election duty.
ACT Chairman Antonio Tinio
announced that the teachers serving as election inspectors will
receive P260 million in additional benefits consisting of
transportation allowance and insurance coverage.
The benefits were announced after
the ACT met with Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Comelec
Chairman Benjamin Abalos in Malacañang Thursday.
Tinio said each member of the
board of election inspector will receive a P300 transportation
allowance and insurance coverage of P200,000.
He said the transportation
allowance would require P230 million and the insurance coverage, P30
million.
“Secretary Ermita assured us
that the Department of Budget and Management will provide the
funding,” Tinio said.
The Comelec’s budget for the
May polls did not include these items. Other demands such as hazard
pay and a P6,000 honorarium were rejected.
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